FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. -- The defending Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Tournament champion Albion College men's lacrosse team was selected as a co-favorite in the annual MIAA preseason poll, as voted on by the league's seven head coaches.

Albion tied Hope College atop the poll with 32 points, earning two first-place votes following a 2025 season that concluded with the Britons capturing the MIAA Tournament title and advancing to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

The Britons finished last spring with a 12-9 overall record and a 4-2 mark in conference play before claiming the league's automatic NCAA berth as the third seed in the MIAA Tournament.

Albion returns a strong core from its championship roster, led by sophomore midfielder Luke Schuemann, the 2025 MIAA Rookie of the Year and an All-MIAA Second Team selection. Senior midfielder Cal Stearns, a three-time All-MIAA honoree, returns after earning First Team recognition in 2025 along with an Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IMLCA) All-Region Honorable Mention.

Hope also received 32 points after going unbeaten in league play last season. Trine University and Adrian College rounded out the top four. 

The season gets underway for Albion on Saturday, February 14, when the Britons trek to Nashville, Tennessee to challenge Rhodes College, a team that reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament a year ago,  to open the Music City Classic. 

Please see the complete poll results below.

2026 MIAA Men's Lacrosse Coaches Preseason Poll
T1. Hope College – 32 points (4 first-place votes)
T1. Albion College – 32 points (2 first-place votes)
3. Trine University – 27 points (1 first-place vote)
4. Adrian College – 21 points
5. Calvin University – 18 points
6. Kalamazoo College – 11 points
7. Alma College – 6 points